章法 (zhāng fǎ) — (in calligraphy, painting, or layout) composition; arrangement of elements; orderly method; systematic procedure

Definition

Literally 'rules of composition', 章法 refers to the orderly arrangement or method in writing, calligraphy, or any structured work — what makes something look or read as organized rather than chaotic.

noun
(in calligraphy, painting, or layout) compositionarrangement of elementsorderly methodsystematic procedure

Examples

  • 章法，。
    Tā de shū fǎ zhāng fǎ shí fēn jiǎng jiu, měi yì bǐ dōu ān pái dé qià dào hǎo chù.
    The composition of his calligraphy is very refined; every stroke is arranged perfectly.
  • 章法，。
    Tā zuò shì hěn yǒu zhāng fǎ, cóng bù huāng luàn.
    He is very methodical in his work and never panics.
  • 章法，。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng de zhāng fǎ tài hùn luàn le, xū yào chóng xīn zhěng lǐ.
    The structure of this article is too chaotic; it needs to be reorganized.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

章zhāngrules
法fǎmethod

章 and 法 both carry the sense of rules or methods, so together they name an orderly pattern.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

章 shows a chisel piercing a piece of jade in the middle. It originally meant treating jade.

Open 章 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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